A GRADUATE who swapped Colwyn Bay for a new Korea plans to open a Buddhist temple.

Kayte Pritchard, from Trofarth, near Upper Colwyn Bay, teaches English, yoga and horseriding to monks, including a Grandmaster called Jeog Un, Seol.

And before work, the 24-year-old former Eirias High School pupil gets up at 4am to meditate and chant.

In the next few years, she hopes to return with the Grandmaster to set up a Sunmudo temple.

As a teenager, Kayte won a scholarship to Rydal Penrhos and went on to study English at Sheffield Hallam University before working with autistic youngsters in Rotherham.

In September 2005, she decided to move to South Korea where she was later joined by boyfriend Richard Das.

Now Kayte lives in the temple grounds in the ancient capital of Kyong-Ju – five hours from the capital Seoul.

“I finished my degree in Sheffield and enjoyed my job in Rotherham, but it wasn’t going anywhere,” said Kayte.

Kayte got a six-month contract to teach English at a private school in South Korea’s hogwan.

“The kids are so competitive in Korea. Parents want a better education than they had themselves. If you want a job with a big, multi-national company you need good English.

“The students know the word ‘Yongook’ is ‘English’, but I had to explain where England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland were.

“They have heard of Ryan Giggs and Catherine Zeta Jones, but I’ve tried Tom Jones and get blank expressions!”

On a typical day, Kayte gets up at 4am dressing in grey, martial arts trousers and black T-shirt and walks barefoot to the temple for morning chanting until 5am.

Between 5am-5.30am everyone sits in meditation and later she’ll check the horses.

Kayte also teaches English, yoga and horseriding to the temple’s monks, having ridden horses in shows around Colwyn Bay and Llandudno.

“I’ve heard too many people complain about their lives. If I don’t enjoy doing something, I stop, as long as it doesn’t let anyone down,” said Kayte.

As for her parents Enid and Gerald, who have other daughters Jane, 26, and Sarah, 17, Kayte said: “They expected me to do something a little bit different. Apart from little worries all parents have, I think they’re pretty proud.”